Umar Saif is a Pakistani entrepreneur, academic, and IT expert who is known for his contributions to the development of the technology industry in Pakistan. He has played a significant role in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the country, and has received numerous awards and recognitions for his work.
Umar Saif was born in Sargodha, Pakistan, in 1975. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from the Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) in 1997, and went on to obtain a PhD in Computer Science from the University of Cambridge in the UK in 2001.
After completing his education, Umar Saif returned to Pakistan and joined the faculty at LUMS. He later founded the university’s School of Science and Engineering, and served as its founding director from 2002 to 2013. During his tenure, he played a key role in developing the university’s computer science program, and helped establish LUMS as a leading institution for technology education in Pakistan.
In addition to his work in academia, Umar Saif has been involved in several technology startups in Pakistan. He is the founder of Plan9, Pakistan’s first technology incubator, which has helped launch several successful startups in the country. He has also served as the Chairman of the Punjab Information Technology Board, where he played a key role in developing the technology industry in the province of Punjab.
Umar Saif’s contributions to the technology industry in Pakistan have been widely recognized. He has received several awards for his work, including the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civilian honors, and the MIT Technology Review’s TR35 award, which recognizes the world’s top 35 innovators under the age of 35.
Overall, Umar Saif is a respected entrepreneur, academic, and technology leader in Pakistan. Through his work in academia, startups, and government, he has played a significant role in promoting innovation and entrepreneurship in the country, and has helped pave the way for the development of the technology industry in Pakistan.